Gamelan Degung is a Sundanese musical ensemble that utilises a subset of modified gamelan instruments with a particular mode of pelog scale.

History

(to be written).

Instruments

(photo courtesy of cite-musique.fr, used by permission)

The instrumentation of gamelan degung is quite flexible. It may includes:

• bonang /kolènang: two rows of seven small bulbous gongs,
• saron /peking: a fourteen keys higher pitch metallophone,
• panerus : a fourteen keys lower pitch metallophone,
• jengglong : six bulbous gongs suspended from the same frame,
• goong ageung: a large gong,
• a set of kendang : consists of one large- and two small double-sided drums,

and depending on the number of nayaga, (or pangrawit or player), some other instruments may be added to the ensemble:

• suling degung: a four holed bamboo flute,
• gambang : a wooden xylophone.

In classical degung, bonang conducts the whole ensemble and is therefore rarely absent, except in certain modern compositions. With a slight modification from Javanese one, bonang in gamelan degung is composed of two rows of seven horizontal bulbous gongs, each row is placed at the left- and right side of its player.

After the pangkat, a short lead notes given by bonang, kendang plays its role to accompany the ensemble entering the music. This introductory part is finalised by the sound of goong ageung (large gong) and the music is entering its main part. Starting from here, suling degung is played to give ornamentation to the melodic line which is played by the metallophones (saron and panerus) and bonang.

Scales

(to be written).

External links

• Articles:
  • http://www.deepdownproductions.com/world/gamelandegung.htm
  • http://webware.cite-musique.fr/www/gamelan/
• Albums/CD:
  • http://www.chez.com/gamelan/cd960502.htm
• Pictures:
  • http://www.une.edu.au/arts/Gamelan/pictures.htm